The present invention pertains generally to an additive for fuel and oil that enhances the performance of combustion engines and reduces exhaust gas emissions. More particularly, the present invention pertains to additives that reduce both visible and invisible exhaust gas emissions, improve combustion efficiency and lubricity when introduced into the combustion chamber of an engine. The present invention is particularly, but not exclusively, useful for a performance enhancing additive that can be used in conjunction with heating fuel, jet fuel, gasoline, diesel fuel, two-cycle engine oil or four-cycle engine crankcase oil.
Today""s automotive fuels and lubricants are highly engineered to improve fuel efficiency, increase horsepower, maintain engine life and reduce environmentally hazardous emissions. For example, a typical modern fuel may contain a plurality of components designed specifically to adjust octane or cetane rating, disperse solids to prevent sludge, enhance lubricity, maintain engine cleanliness, or promote combustion.
Once an ingredient is found to be effective in one of these capacities, tests must be conducted to ensure that the ingredient does not adversely affect the performance of the other ingredients. Further, the ingredient must be tested to ensure the ingredient does not interfere with modern emission control systems such as catalytic converters, charcoal canisters and exhaust gas recirculation systems. Additionally, the ingredient must be tested to ensure that harmful emissions are not increased, including the formation of toxic emissions, greenhouse gases and smog precursors. Also, the environmental and health effects of the chemical must be considered in light of the possibility of a fuel spill.
Assuming an ingredient under consideration meets the above described operational proscriptions, mechanisms must still be provided to maintain the active ingredient in solution within the fuel, deliver the active ingredient to the combustion chamber in the proper concentration (especially when only small concentrations of the ingredient are required), and prevent the active ingredient from reaction with the other fuel components during any required storage periods. One such mechanism that can be used is to provide a media for the ingredients within the fuel. Of course the media itself then becomes an ingredient and is subject to the requirements described above concerning interaction with other ingredients, the engine and any emission control systems.
In light of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a composition that improves combustion efficiency and upper cylinder lubricity when introduced into the combustion chamber of an engine. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a fuel and lubricating oil additive that increases engine life and decreases exhaust gas emissions. It is another object of the present invention to provide a composition for addition to combustible fuels and lubricants to enhance engine performance without adversely affecting the engine, the efficacy of standard fuel additives, or any applicable emission control systems. It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a performance enhancing composition having chemical constituents that remain stable after mixing with fuels and oils and during storage. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a fuel and lubricating oil additive that improves the cetane rating of diesel fuel. It is another object of the present invention to provide a composition for addition to combustible fuels that cleans the upper cylinder and fuel injectors of a combustion engine. Another object of the present invention is to provide an additive that enhances lubricity in low sulfur diesel fuels. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a fuel and oil additive for a combustion engine that does not produce environmentally hazardous emissions during use. It is another object of the present invention to provide a composition for addition to heating oil or other open flame applications to de-soot the combustion chamber providing a cleaner burn and lower visible and invisible exhaust gas emissions. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a fuel and oil additive which is easy to use, relatively simple to implement, and comparatively cost effective.
The present invention is directed to a composition for use in fuels and lubricating oils. For the present invention, the composition can be used in two-cycle, four-cycle, diesel, turbine and jet engines. As such, the composition can be added to the gasoline-oil mixture for a two-cycle, the gasoline, crankcase oil or both for a four-cycle, or the diesel fuel, crankcase oil or both for a diesel engine. Further, the composition can be added to jet fuels and fuels that are designed to produce heat.
The composition of the present invention may include a polyunsaturated aliphatic or alicyclic compounds having at least three and no more than six double bonds, wherein the bonds alternate between single bonds and double bonds along the chain. For the present invention, polyunsaturated compounds are provided to improve the combustion process by acting as a pseudo-catalyst in the combustion reaction. Vitamin A (retinol) is the preferred polyunsaturated compound for the present invention, and preferably constitutes between approximately 0.001% to approximately 0.01% of the total composition.
The composition may also include a derivative of dihydrobenzo-gamma-pyrane to improve the combustion process by acting as a pseudo-catalyst in the combustion reaction. Vitamin E (tocopherol) is the preferred derivative of dihydrobenzo-gamma-pyrane for use in the present invention and preferably constitutes between approximately 0.001% to approximately 0.01% of the total composition.
The composition may also include one or more polyoxide compounds as lubricity agents to increase engine horsepower and reduce engine wear. Preferably, the polyoxide compound used is polyethylene glycol at a concentration of between approximately 5% to approximately 15%.
The composition may also include one or more polyoxy derivatives of either polypropylene glycol, polyethylene glycol or sorbitol. For the present invention, the polyoxy derivative can be either a polyoxyalkene derivative or a polyoxyalkane derivative. Preferably, the composition is formulated with approximately 20% polyoxysorbitol alkene and approximately 15% polyoxyalkene derivatives of polypropylene glycol. For the present invention, the polyoxy alkyl derivatives are provided to function as surfactants, increase lubricity, and act as a dispersant and emulsifier to prevent phase separation within the fuel/additive mixture.
The composition may further include one or more fatty acid esters. Particularly applicable for the present invention are the mono-esters and tri-esters of fatty acids. Preferably, a mixture of fatty acid esters at a mixture concentration of between approximately 20% to approximately 60% is used in the present invention. For the present invention, the fatty acid esters are provided as a media functioning to dilute the combustion promoters, surfactants and other ingredients to allow accurate concentrations of these ingredients into the fuel chamber.
The composition may further include approximately 0.2-0.9% poly 4-T-butyl styrene. Preferably, the poly 4-T-butyl styrene has a molecular weight between approximately 20,000 and 50,000. For the present invention, the poly 4-T-butyl styrene is provided to improve combustion and reduce NOx and CO emissions.